5MoH and the Swells

This is what I posted on ADVRider, thought some of you might get a kick out of it. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=927853

So October 2nd to the 6th although some came out on the 1st out near Green River, UT called the San Rafael Swell.

Pwrtrippin and I leave a day early so get there Wednesday as he is laid off right now do to the Government shutdown. It was a late start, and getting lost in grand Junction was no fun to pickup a few last minute items. However we roll in around 8:00pm look for the crew till 9:30am and decide we take what looked to be a premium spot.





We had a good night sleep, ate a good breakfast, and was gearing up when Ben came rolling by to put the signs out. He mentions they are getting ready to head out for a ride. Hey sounds good. Oh, Ben also warns that wind gust can get crazy high where we setup the tents. Nothing we could do now as it takes time to break down camp and move. So we go over to their camp site off of Chute Rd and get ready for the ride of the day. Nothing hard, just a sight seeing ride really.

Here is the tracks on Google:
http://goo.gl/maps/jlA48

And the Tracks in a GPX file (right click and select save-as):
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/6036376/GPX%20Files/Dirt/sanrafaelswellmineloop.gpx











After a nice day of riding, back to camp to collect firewood over some Moonshine


Oh and pwrtrippin and I ended up moving camp. Came back to find my tent blew away and most of his aluminum poles in his fancy REI tent bent...LOL My tent was found 50 yards up the roadway, amazing it ripped the stakes out of the ground and the wind carried my tent with a Queen blow up mattress, my pillow, two sleeping bags, and my backpack full of clothing...LOL

So that night we had a very good bonfire, drank two 5ths of moonshine and then went off to bed.

pwrtrippin and I gave up on the tents and decided to sleep on my air mattress in the trailer. It was freaking cold that night and any movement on the air mattress by one of us made the other wake up in a drunken haze. I think it got down into the 20's that night.

Ben and others were up early but they did not drink as much moonshine. pwrtrippin and I had to play catch-up in the morning eating fast and getting ready. So I forgot my GoPro a sit was in the Jeep. It took time, and we meetup with Trevor and Simon. But once we were all together there were 8 of us, unless we don't count Tom then there were actually 7 of us.....LOL

Here is the Google tracks of that day:
http://goo.gl/maps/7wv2T

Here are the GPX file (Right click and select save-as):
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/6036376/GPX%20Files/Dirt/5MoHLoop.gpx

We took some of Red Trail to get out there:
























We get to the start of 5MoH and take a break. pwrtrippin decides to peel off and go exploring as he said he was not feeling it that day. Plus a broken footpeg and a sore ankle were not helping and if I recall his front suspention was too soft so back to the drawing board on that.



I don't think anyone had an issue on Red Trail some of the spots I have seen in videos we just cruised right up so no time for pictures. If you find Red Trail hard then please do not go on 5MoH (which by the way is really like 8 miles). The one hard part on Red Trail just toss some ledges on that and repeat all day long and that is 5MoH....LOL

At this point we are down to 6 people.

Another warning take a LOT of water, I had a full Camelbak with extra plastic bottle of water, plus a red bull and I ran out right at the end. This was a 52 degree day I think was the high, so a nice day for 5MoH where you will sweet.

*Also note Ben was taking pictures using I think Tomas's phone and I took pictures I hope I was able to get the flow right when I renamed them.

So we said our Goodbyes to pwrtrippin and left him with our wills and last statements as he took off down Red Trail for an epic day of sight seeing while us deranged riders felt a pulling toward that of 5MoH (which again is really 8 [refrain from using profanity]ing miles).





I learned to hate sand, it's not a big deal at the beginning of the day when you are fresh but when you have battled 5 miles already of rocks and you get to the bottom hoping for some relief but instead your having to battle the deep sand that seemed to want to suck the front tire down. I think out of everything I hated the sand the most.



The first real obstacle you get too
















Then we come upon the Crux, it's not that far in actually to 5MoH. But by this point you either should know you want to continue as it will be the same thing all day long or take the first bailout which are market very clear for people.

Simon tried for the right side, just so much sand on that side he went down.





Ben tried the right side but that side tossed him down the hill



The others tried did the left side, and I got great pictures of them















I was just not feeling that left side, so I used the left side and then cut over to the right to an area where the bike needed to be positioned and with the help of Simon we got it just right.



I went right up, no issues...



ops, but then you are angled all messed up for that top ledge and down she goes



Our leader Ben ended up going to the left side too



Then off to more obstacles...



I don't look too bad



However the bike did make it up so I would say on 5MoH that is successful....LOL





There is a lot of this on 5MoH



















This is actually the second case fix of the day, and this was near the end which if I recall Tomas saying we went 7 miles so it can not be much further. One mile in this terrain just starts to suck. I think 5 miles in I was tired but okay otherwise. Those last 3 miles is what does you in. I'm not sure I was happy for the break period or not, one of those deals were you loose focus and its cool enough out you take off your helmet or other gear and its cold to put back on. This is where I wished for more food also...so again pack more then you would normally take better safe then sorry.











This is where the pictures end with Trevor. I think this is a good spot to end 5MoH pictures because this should give you an idea that this is one hard trail in the middle of no-where.



We all made it out, and for the size of the group it sounded like we did it in pretty good time. I'm glad I did it, I'm glad I made it...but that tested my abilities and thank you to Ben, Simon, Trevor and all the others that gave help. The big question now that sometime went by. Would I do this again? As I told pwrtrippin yes I would do it again but I would seriously consider just taking a bail-out....of course that is what I say I could see my sick sole hitting the whole thing again.

Farnham ran out of fuel on the graded rd back to camp. But we all made it.

Trevor & Simon took off, then Brian & I decided sleeping in the trailer sharing a blow up mattress just sucked with it so cold out and decided to help Ben, Farnham and Tomas collect fire wood and then we headed off to Green River to a nice Motel 6 room. Ended up running into Trevor and Simon at Rays Tavern. I got to say the Filet is actually really good, that was my reward for doing 5MoH.

So we did not know what we would hit the next day, should we go to Moab or what. We ended up going to Fruita and riding all those trails north of town. in the washes, and then we got onto some 4x4 rock crawler trail that looped around took some gnarly single track down....pictures to come...but man great views, and some awesome riding out there. I'm glad we hit Fruita.